Consider Whether You Have the Power
Hong Saozi followed and said, "Third Madam, you better not mention Su Li. Su Li has powerful backing; the village head supports her. If she goes to Zhang Mu at night to complain, all of us will be in trouble!"
Qin Sanniang immediately put on a scared expression and said, "Oh dear, A Li, I was wrong. Please don't tell your husband Zhang Mu, we're really afraid of the village head! By the way, A Li, why didn't you let your husband be the village head, but instead let Wu Caiwei's husband take the position? If this gets out, people won't know whether Yuanbao or Zhang Mu is really your husband!"
Several women burst into laughter, each chiming in with malicious and sarcastic remarks.
Su Li glared coldly at the gossiping women. Qin Sanniang crossed her legs, spitting sunflower seed shells with a smug look, thinking: "I just spread rumors about you, so what? If you dare, come bite me!"
Su Li said nothing, took a deep breath, walked over to the wall near Qin Sanniang's house, grabbed a bucket of pig swill, and poured it all over Qin Sanniang's head from top to bottom with a splash.
Qin Sanniang stared at the mess covering her head, frantically wiping her face and screaming.
Su Li threw down the bucket, swiftly jumped back a few steps, wiped her hands with a cloth, and coldly stared at the stunned women.
"Su Li, you shameless woman! How dare you pour pig swill on me? Are you tired of living?!" Qin Sanniang screamed loudly, reeking of foul odor.
Nearby, Hong Saozi and a few others scrambled back as far as they could to avoid getting dirty.
Su Li smirked and sneered, "Qin Sanniang, I think your nonsense is possession-induced. I’m just kindly using this filthy pig swill to pour on you to drive away the evil spirits. Why are you cursing me? Don’t you recognize a good deed when you see one?"
Qin Sanniang was so furious that steam seemed to rise from her head, pointing at Su Li and yelling, "Shameless woman, shameless woman! You're the one possessed! You're clearly humiliating me on purpose!"
Su Li crossed her arms and looked at Qin Sanniang, snorting coldly, "Yes, I am purposely humiliating you. So what?"
"Su Li, I won’t let you off!" Qin Sanniang screamed wildly at the top of her lungs.
"Tsk, I’d really like to know how exactly you won’t let me off." Su Li rubbed her forehead, her gaze sweeping over Hong Saozi and the other followers of Qin Sanniang, full of mockery. "Qin Sanniang’s family just got rich, so she’s acting crazy and has food to eat. What about you all? Think carefully: what will happen if you offend me? I recommended the village head; from now on, your men’s labor duties are decided by the village head; the taxes on your land also have to go through the village head. Do you even have the capital to go against me? Are you stupid or what, hmm!?"
Several women were stunned, their eyes filled with panic.
Although Qin Sanniang privately said that the village head was her family’s Zhang Zhuzi, everyone said it was Zhang Mu—even the village chief said it was Zhang Mu. Now seeing Su Li’s firm tone, these women wavered, afraid that if Zhang Mu really became village head and wanted to deal with them, it would be like a game for him!
Su Li looked at the fearful expressions of the women and named a few of them. "I remember several of your families signed contracts with my off-season vegetables. Will you do business in winter and make money? Also, each of your families has children; I paid to build the school. Think carefully: if I’m not happy, I won’t allow your clan’s children to attend. When your family suffers, can Qin Sanniang stand up for you? Can she send your children to school? You ungrateful wolves, I can’t tolerate you!"